Insider Names Two Possible OF Free Agents for Pirates
How the Pittsburgh Pirates go about improving an offense to better support what could be one of the better starting rotations in baseball next season is among the burning questions they face in a make-or-break offseason.
One position Pittsburgh could seek to add at is one of the corner outfield spots. If that's the path the Pirates choose, MLB.com's Alex Stumpf listed Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill and Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler as options in free agency.
"Max Kepler had a down year with the Twins, some of which could be attributed to health," Stumpf wrote. "If he is clear medically, he is just a year removed from a 24-homer campaign and is a plus defender. Tyler O’Neill would also provide pop (31 home runs) to go along with his two Gold Gloves, but he would require a much larger contract than general manager Ben Cherington has given out in his time with the Pirates."
The Pirates have plenty of familiarity with O'Neill from his time with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018-2023. The Red Sox outfielder batted .241 with 11 home runs and 36 RBIs in 61 games against Pittsburgh. O'Neill is coming off his best season since 2021, hitting 31 home runs and driving 61 runs and he had a slash line of .241/.336/.511.
O'Neill also has two gold gloves (2020 and 2021) for his defensive prowess in left field. In 2024, he had a -3 run value by Baseball Savant, but some of that can be attributed to playing at Fenway Park, which is one of the tougher ballparks for left-fielders and right-fielders defensively.
Kepler played in 105 games and was out for all but one game in September due to a knee injury and hip injury that may require surgery this offseason. The left-handed hitting outfielder slashed .253/.302/.380, hit eight home runs and drove in 42 runs.
If the Pirates opt to add a corner outfielder, the domino effect will bear watching heading into the 2025 season. Pittsburgh has flirted with the idea of moving Bryan Reynolds to first base, which would make sense given that he's coming off his worst season defensively in left and right field, posting a -12 run value and -11 range value.
Where Bryan De La Cruz fits into the equation would also become a question mark. Pittsburgh acquired him from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline and he struggled mightily, as he hit three home runs, drove in 17 runs and had a .200 batting average, .220 on-base percentage and a .294 slugging percentage in 44 games.
O'Neill coming off one of the best seasons of his career may very well put him out of the Pirates' price range, leaving Kepler as a much more likely option. If he's healthy, adding him on a one-year prove it deal makes sense for both parties.
